Movies

Gladiator 2’s Connie Nielsen finds historical accuracy criticism “so silly”

BBG News

As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for historical epics, I must say I find the recent fuss over the historical accuracy of ‘Gladiator II’ utterly preposterous, to borrow an ancient Roman phrase.

Actress Connie Nielsen, who starred in the film “Gladiator II”, responded to criticisms about its historical authenticity, stating she finds such discussions “rather preposterous”.

In this continuation of the 2000 blockbuster, I find myself once again immersed in the character of Lucilla, the mother of Paul Mescal’s Lucius, a role I reprise in this captivating follow-up.

A contemporary historian, Dr. Shadi Bartsch, has criticized certain scenes in the cinematic Roman epic for their historical inaccuracies. Specifically, she called out depictions like sharks being present in the Colosseum as “completely fictional movie-making.” (Source: The Hollywood Reporter)

Nevertheless, when talking specifically with Digital Spy, Nielsen stood up for the film, describing the criticism as “remarkably shallow.

She remarked, “Are you concerned if the water actually contained sharks or not? It seems strange, almost nonsensical, don’t you think?

It’s a minor event, insignificant compared to other historical occurrences like the existence of rhinos and elephants. Historians likely wouldn’t have given it much attention.

“They did something incredibly strange… They had ostrich in chocolate sauce? That sounds absurd! Who needs to know that? It’s just silly.

Fred Hechinger, portraying Emperor Caracalla, likewise spoke about allegations of historical inaccuracies, sharing that director Ridley Scott aimed for the film to have a modern feel.

He mentioned that it was intriguing as he conversed with Ridley and was arranging their discussion, and some of the references Ridley made seemed unrelated to the specified time period. They touched upon Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten, two of Ridley’s punk idols.

He seems to have a strong passion for creating films that resonate with the current era, regardless of the story’s historical context. In other words, even if it’s an epic set in the past, he strives to make the movie as contemporary, chaotic, intense, and unsettling as our present day.

Hechinger stated, “I believe we find ourselves repeatedly drawn to the Roman Empire for a reason – it serves as an enlightening and puzzling reflection of our contemporary world. Thus, I believe he is particularly focused on making historical events resonate in the present.

Gladiator II is released in UK cinemas on November 15 and in US cinemas on November 22.

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2024-11-14 21:48

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